Labour Candidate Sadiq Khan Elected First Muslim London Mayor Labour Candidate Sadiq Khan Elected First Muslim London Mayor (Getty Images) Friday, 06 May 2016 08:48 PM Close A A Sadiq Khan of Britain’s main opposition Labour Party won election as London’s first Muslim mayor, beating the Conservatives’ Zac Goldsmith after a bitterly fought and divisive campaign. Khan, who faced a Tory onslaught that questioned whether his links in the Muslim community made him a suitable person to keep the U.K. capital secure, won 1.3 million votes, compared with 995,000 for Goldsmith after second-preference votes from the other 10 candidates were reallocated. “This election was not without controversy and I’m so proud that London has today chosen hope over fear and unity over division,” a visibly emotional Khan said after the result was announced in London’s City Hall early on Saturday morning. “I hope that we will never be offered such a stark choice again. Fear doesn’t make us safer, it only makes us weaker and the politics of fear is simply not welcome in our city.” Khan, who became the first Muslim to attend U.K.

cabinet meetings under Prime Minister Gordon Brown in 2009, becomes the most powerful member of that faith in elected office in Britain, in charge of an annual budget of 17 billion pounds ($25 billion) and responsible for policing, the transport network, planning and the environment in the U.K. capital. Khan, 45, distanced himself from Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn during the campaign, even though he nominated the hard-line socialist for the leadership after Ed Miliband’s resignation last year. He said he did so to encourage debate in the party and that it was “ludicrous” to claim he was a close ally. Khan was helped when a leaked memo from Corbyn’s office referred to him as “hostile.” The Tory campaign said Khan, a former human-rights lawyer, had “questions to answer” over Muslims he had shared platforms with and who, they alleged, had expressed extremist views. Khan asked Labour activists not to rise to the Tory bait and to concentrate on his manifesto of providing affordable housing, freezing fares on buses and London’s underground rail network, known as the Tube, and promising to promote and support businesses.

Goldsmith’s campaign, which was run by colleagues of Prime Minister David Cameron’s campaign chief, Lynton Crosby, was publicly criticized by senior Conservatives. A former party chairwoman, Sayeeda Warsi, a Muslim who was promoted to the cabinet by Cameron in part to show the Conservatives had modernized and was more in tune with 21st-century Britain, said the campaign had set the Tories back. “Our appalling dog-whistle campaign for London mayor 2016 lost us the election, our reputation and credibility on issues of race and religion,” she tweeted before the result was announced. Andrew Boff, leader of the Conservative group on the Greater London Assembly, told BBC Television that relationships with the Muslim community “have been blown up by this campaign. A lot of us on the ground are going to have to spend a lot of time on trying to re-establish those links.” “It’s hard to think of a city or a part of the U.K. where dog-whistle politics would work less well than London,” Tony Travers, who studies local elections at the London School of Economics, said in an interview.

“It’s so multinational, multiethnic and multireligious that most people hear this sort of negative messaging and think ‘We too are a minority,’ and they’re off-put by it.” The Tories held five of their six constituency seats in the assembly, losing Merton and Wandsworth, Khan’s home patch in south London, to Labour. The son of Pakistani immigrants, Khan grew up in social housing in Tooting, the district he represents in the House of Commons. He worked as a human-rights lawyer before becoming a lawmaker and a minister in Brown’s government. Khan, who sought support from London’s financial-services industry during the campaign, has pledged to join the fight to keep Britain in the European Union in the referendum on June 23. Goldsmith, 41, is in favor of leaving the bloc. Khan is now Labour’s most powerful politician outside of Wales and will appoint staff over the next few days who are likely to include advisers who have fled Labour’s headquarters since Corbyn became party leader. He said during the campaign he would “be his own man” and will be free to establish an operation in City Hall that pursues pro-business centrist policies in contrast to Corbyn’s more hardline socialist agenda.

Being mayor is largely about delivering services competently, and Khan, who will be more hands-on than his predecessor Boris Johnson, will have to hit the ground running, LSE’s Travers said. “You don’t run Tube trains in a right-wing or left-wing way,” Travers said. “Competence is the key, It’s only four years until the next election.” New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, whom Khan quoted during his campaign, was one of the first to recognize his victory. “Sending congratulations to London’s new mayor and fellow affordable housing advocate,” he said on Twitter. “Look forward to working together!” © Copyright 2017 Bloomberg News. All rights reserved. Click Here to comment on this article Close Elections: Labour's Sadiq Khan elected London mayor - BBC News BBC News Elections: Labour's Sadiq Khan elected London mayor 7 May 2016 Close share panel Media captionLondon Mayor Sadiq Khan heads to first day in office Sadiq Khan has been elected the new Mayor of London - boosting Labour after it slumped in Scotland's elections.

Mr Khan is the city's first Muslim mayor, after beating Tory Zac Goldsmith by 1,310,143 votes to 994,614. The result bolsters leader Jeremy Corbyn after Labour was beaten into third in Scotland by the Tories and lost some English councillors. In Scotland, the SNP said it would form a minority government after winning its third election in a row. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is celebrating what she said was an "emphatic" victory, her first as party leader, after the SNP emerged as the largest party at Holyrood with 63 seats, ahead of the Conservatives on 31 and Labour on 24. But she played down talk of another independence referendum after falling short by two seats of an overall majority. In Wales, Labour remains as the largest party, with 29 out of 60 seats, but was denied a majority as Plaid Cymru and UKIP both made notable gains. Counting is continuing in Northern Ireland.

Media captionJeremy Corbyn said Labour "hung on" and "grew support in a lot of places” across England Mr Khan's victory - which gave him the largest personal mandate of any politician in UK history - ends eight years of Conservative control of City Hall. The former Labour MP and minister, 45, becomes London's third mayor after Ken Livingstone and Boris Johnson. Mr Khan distanced himself from Mr Corbyn during the campaign, pledging to freeze fares on the capital's transport network and build more affordable housing, but also promising to champion business and cut taxes on enterprise. In his victory speech, he referred to his humble origins on a council estate and said he had never imagined that "someone like me could be elected as mayor of London," promising to be a mayor "for all Londoners". Media captionSadiq Khan 'deeply humbled' by London Mayor win He said the campaign had not been without controversy, but added: "I am so proud that London has today chosen hope over fear". He added that the "politics of fear is not welcome in our city".

Campaign conduct BBC political correspondent Chris Mason said questions were now focusing on the tone of the Conservative campaign, which was criticised by some within the party and Labour for accusing Mr Khan of sharing a platform with Islamist extremists. Defence Secretary Michael Fallon - who said during the election campaign that Mr Khan was unfit to be mayor - said it was legitimate to put a candidate under scrutiny. Media captionMichael Fallon is repeatedly asked if he trusts Sadiq Khan with the safety of Londoners "Both candidates were asked questions about their backgrounds, their personalities, their judgements, the people they associate with. That's the nature of our democracy and the rough and tumble of politics," he told BBC Radio 4 Today. Mr Fallon repeatedly declined to say whether he thought Mr Khan was a security risk to London, instead saying: "London is safe with a Conservative government working with the new mayor of London." Asked if that would require a lot of work, he replied: "Yes, of course it does." iFrame Tap here to search for election results in your area.

Zac Goldsmith's sister Jemima has criticised how his campaign was run, while former Conservative cabinet minister Baroness Warsi called it an "appalling dog whistle campaign" and former Tory chancellor Ken Clarke said it was a "mistake". Ms Goldsmith tweeted: "Sad that Zac's campaign did not reflect who I know him to be - an eco friendly, independent-minded politician with integrity." Media captionZac Goldsmith says he is disappointed with the result, but paid tribute to Sadiq Khan She also congratulated Mr Khan, calling him a "great example to young Muslims". David Cameron's former director of strategy Steve Hilton described the Goldsmith campaign as "really weird," claiming it had brought back the "nasty party label to the Conservative party". Who is Sadiq Khan? Image copyright AP The new mayor did not have a privileged start in life. He was one of eight children born to Pakistani immigrants, a bus driver and a seamstress, on a south London housing estate. From an early age, he showed a firm resolve to defy the odds in order to win success for himself and the causes important to him.

That resolve has won him the biggest personal mandate in the UK, a job with wide-ranging powers over London and with enormous emotional significance for him. Some question whether he has the experience or record of good judgement necessary for the role. He insists he is there to represent all Londoners and to tackle inequality in the capital, and now he has the chance to prove it. The Sadiq Khan story Outgoing mayor Boris Johnson congratulated Mr Khan on "securing a huge mandate to do the best job in British politics" and wished him "every possible success". He also paid tribute to Mr Goldsmith for his "heroic efforts" in the campaign. Meanwhile, Mr Corbyn led congratulations on Twitter using the hashtag YesWeKhan and told the new mayor: "Can't wait to work with you to create a London that is fair for all." A Labour victory in the capital was seen as a minimum expectation if Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was to avoid a full-blown leadership crisis after the party suffered one of its worst ever results in Scotland - losing 13 seats and being pushed into third place by the resurgent Scottish Conservatives.

Media captionSNP leader Nicola Sturgeon has spoken of an "emphatic" victory for her party in the Scottish Parliament elections Mr Corbyn has talked up Labour's performance in Thursday's elections, saying the party had defied predictions by retaining control of councils in the south of England such as Southampton, Hastings, Crawley and Norwich. "We hung on and we grew support in a lot of places," he said. Allies of Mr Corbyn, including shadow chancellor John McDonnell and shadow environmental minister Clive Lewis, have called on critics within the party to rally round the leader. But others, including former shadow minister Michael Dugher, have said Labour was "not on a trajectory to victory" in the next general election, scheduled for 2020. Labour's vote share is down about 6% on average on 2012 - the last time these seats in England were contested - with 24 fewer councillors. But its share is up 4% on the general election in key wards, with the Conservatives down by a similar amount.

In other election developments: Shadow home secretary Andy Burnham considers running for newly created role of Greater Manchester mayor The Democratic Unionists and Sinn Fein were on course to retain their grip on power at Stormont as the Assembly election count neared its half-way point Ex-Labour MP Vera Baird is re-elected as police and crime commissioner for Northumbria, as the 40 results are declared On the basis of Friday's results, the BBC is calculating that Labour would have got a 31% projected share of the national vote, slightly higher than expected, with the Conservatives on 30%, the Lib Dems on 15% and UKIP on 12%. In Scotland, Labour gained one seat from the SNP - Edinburgh Southern - but failed to take other targets and was beaten into third place by the Conservatives - a result that would have been unthinkable in the past. Speaking in Edinburgh, Nicola Sturgeon said the SNP had a "clear and unequivocal" mandate and would govern on its own rather than in alliance with other parties.

Image caption UKIP's Neil Hamilton is returning to elected office for the first time in nearly 20 years On the question of a future vote on independence, she said the SNP would make "its case with passion, with patience but will always respect the opinion of the people". But Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson, who said any prospect of the issue being reopened in the next five years had been "utterly shredded" by the SNP's failure to win a majority. UKIP breakthrough In Wales, Labour's vote is down by eight points overall, the Conservative vote is down by three points, while Plaid Cymru is up by two points. Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood celebrated a famous victory after she took the seat of Rhondda from Labour in its south Wales heartlands. Lib Dem Welsh leader Kirsty Williams resigned after her party was reduced to one seat in the Welsh Assembly. But the biggest story of the night in Wales was the performance of UKIP, which saw its vote increase by 12 points and saw seven candidates elected. Thursday's polls were the single largest test of political opinion before the next general election, which is scheduled for 2020, with 43 million people entitled to take part.

In total, 2,747 seats in English councils - spanning metropolitan boroughs, unitary authorities and district councils - were up for grabs. David Cameron said the party's second place in Scotland and its showing in England, where it took control of Peterborough Council and won council seats in key Westminster marginals such as Dudley and Nuneaton, represented a good result for a party which had been in government for six years. What's still to come (all timings are estimates) Saturday 7 May 14:00 Results from five remaining councils in England 16:00 Result of Bristol Mayoral contest Result of elections to Northern Ireland Assembly expected Sunday 8 May 16:00 Result of elections to Bristol Council (final council in England to declare) Results of Police and Crime Commissioner elections in Wales Joy for Conservatives in Scotland – but London result dampens mood | Politics | The Guardian Local elections Joy for Conservatives in Scotland – but London result dampens mood Gaining 16 Holyrood seats is a clear bonus after the Tories’ showing in local elections, their defeat in the capital and the nature of the campaign left a bitter taste David Cameron addresses councillors and supporters in Peterborough, the only council gained by the Tories.

Photograph: Rick Findler/AFP/Getty Images Local elections Joy for Conservatives in Scotland – but London result dampens mood Gaining 16 Holyrood seats is a clear bonus after the Tories’ showing in local elections, their defeat in the capital and the nature of the campaign left a bitter taste Friday 6 May 2016 13.02 EDT Last modified on Friday 7 October 2016 05.14 EDT Close This article is 9 months old Conservative joy at a resurgence in Scotland under Ruth Davidson has been tempered by unease among senior party figures at the negative campaign run by London mayoral candidate Zac Goldsmith. David Cameron and a raft of Tory MPs were jubilant about Davidson becoming leader of the main rival to the Scottish National party, boasting that she had effected a “transformation” of Conservative electoral prospects north of the border. The party gained 16 Scottish parliament seats. But results for the Conservatives were not positive elsewhere, as it fell into third place in terms of seats in Wales behind Plaid Cymru and got a lower share of the vote in England than Labour , at 30% compared with 31%.

UK elections: Sadiq Khan 'has won' London mayoral race - live updates Read more In London, the Tories had once held high hopes about keeping the mayoralty for a third term after eight years of Boris Johnson , but Goldsmith was set to come a poor second to Labour’s Sadiq Khan. After polls closed, several party figures criticised Goldsmith’s decision to try to link Islamist extremists to the Khan, who is on course to become the first Muslim mayor of a major western capital. Roger Evans, a Conservative deputy London mayor, said he was concerned about the party having to clear up a “negative legacy” left by the people who ran Goldsmith’s campaign, including work to re-establish trust with a lot of communities in London. Labour have linked Goldsmith’s negative campaign to the fact it was advised by CTF, the firm of Lynton Crosby, the Tory election guru who was knighted on Friday for his role in helping Cameron win last May. Campaign sources have said Crosby himself had no direct role in Goldsmith’s campaign. Andrew Boff, the Conservative group leader on the Greater London assembly, said on Thursday night that it was a mistake for the Conservatives to have attacked Khan in a way that could damage community relations.

The prime minister was among those who joined in the allegations that Khan was unfit for office, arguing he had showed poor judgment in sharing platforms with extremists while he was a human rights lawyer. Despite the setbacks in England, Wales and London, Cameron nevertheless claimed the results as a success for his party, citing Peterborough, the only council gained by the Tories, and accusing Labour of being “out of touch”. “Local election day for sitting prime ministers is supposed to be a day of dread,” he said. “It’s meant to be a day when you are sitting there waiting for someone to knock on the door like the condemned man waiting for the hangman. That wasn’t what it was like last night.” Overall, the Conservatives failed to make any gains of seats outside Scotland , as their Eurosceptic voters apparently stayed at home or turned to Ukip. The party lost at least 33 seats, more than Labour’s loss of 24, while Ukip won 26 and the Liberal Democrats put on 34.

UK elections 2016 at a glance: the key points and results Read more Bernard Jenkin, a Conservative MP and leading Brexit campaigner, suggested Ukip had benefited from Eurosceptic feeling in the run-up to the EU referendum on 23 June. “I think the low turnout generally suggests there is a lack of enthusiasm except for the Ukip vote, which demonstrates that any lack of enthusiasm might be to do with the main parties being in favour of staying in the EU,” he said. “Plenty of Conservatives who are going to vote to leave will have voted Conservative anyway. If there was discontent, it showed up in the Ukip vote and particularly eating into the Labour vote. It’s not surprising at all. They want us to be able to control of our borders, they don’t like the fact we give £350m a week to the EU and only get half that back, and they want our own laws.” But Steve Baker, the chair of the Tory leave campaign, Conservatives for Britain, said it was quite difficult to draw conclusions about how the EU referendum would play from the election results.

“My reaction would be it’s still too soon for most normal people who are not interested in politics to be fully interested in the EU referendum,” he said. “It’s 49 days and just too far out.

The committed people on both sides, yes, but I honestly think there is a long way to run politically before the June poll and I would be pretty cautious about reading anything from these results into that.” Fabian Society report on voting patterns in local elections finds party performed badly in its traditional heartlands Published: 14 May 2016 Former Tory MP elected to head seven-strong group, saying he wants to ensure Ukip has ‘maximum impact’ in Wales Published: 10 May 2016 Marvin Rees says his election and that of Sadiq Khan’s in London show Labour makes it possible for ‘ordinary people’ to win high office Published: 9 May 2016 Leader addresses party MPs and peers after last week’s mixed election results Published: 9 May 2016 Elections: Labour's Sadiq Khan elected London mayor - BBC News BBC News Elections: Labour's Sadiq Khan elected London mayor 7 May 2016 Close share panel Media captionLondon Mayor Sadiq Khan heads to first day in office Sadiq Khan has been elected the new Mayor of London - boosting Labour after it slumped in Scotland's elections.

Mr Khan is the city's first Muslim mayor, after beating Tory Zac Goldsmith by 1,310,143 votes to 994,614. The result bolsters leader Jeremy Corbyn after Labour was beaten into third in Scotland by the Tories and lost some English councillors. In Scotland, the SNP said it would form a minority government after winning its third election in a row. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is celebrating what she said was an "emphatic" victory, her first as party leader, after the SNP emerged as the largest party at Holyrood with 63 seats, ahead of the Conservatives on 31 and Labour on 24. But she played down talk of another independence referendum after falling short by two seats of an overall majority. In Wales, Labour remains as the largest party, with 29 out of 60 seats, but was denied a majority as Plaid Cymru and UKIP both made notable gains. Counting is continuing in Northern Ireland.

Media captionJeremy Corbyn said Labour "hung on" and "grew support in a lot of places” across England Mr Khan's victory - which gave him the largest personal mandate of any politician in UK history - ends eight years of Conservative control of City Hall. The former Labour MP and minister, 45, becomes London's third mayor after Ken Livingstone and Boris Johnson. Mr Khan distanced himself from Mr Corbyn during the campaign, pledging to freeze fares on the capital's transport network and build more affordable housing, but also promising to champion business and cut taxes on enterprise. In his victory speech, he referred to his humble origins on a council estate and said he had never imagined that "someone like me could be elected as mayor of London," promising to be a mayor "for all Londoners". Media captionSadiq Khan 'deeply humbled' by London Mayor win He said the campaign had not been without controversy, but added: "I am so proud that London has today chosen hope over fear". He added that the "politics of fear is not welcome in our city".

Campaign conduct BBC political correspondent Chris Mason said questions were now focusing on the tone of the Conservative campaign, which was criticised by some within the party and Labour for accusing Mr Khan of sharing a platform with Islamist extremists. Defence Secretary Michael Fallon - who said during the election campaign that Mr Khan was unfit to be mayor - said it was legitimate to put a candidate under scrutiny. Media captionMichael Fallon is repeatedly asked if he trusts Sadiq Khan with the safety of Londoners "Both candidates were asked questions about their backgrounds, their personalities, their judgements, the people they associate with. That's the nature of our democracy and the rough and tumble of politics," he told BBC Radio 4 Today. Mr Fallon repeatedly declined to say whether he thought Mr Khan was a security risk to London, instead saying: "London is safe with a Conservative government working with the new mayor of London." Asked if that would require a lot of work, he replied: "Yes, of course it does." iFrame Tap here to search for election results in your area.

Zac Goldsmith's sister Jemima has criticised how his campaign was run, while former Conservative cabinet minister Baroness Warsi called it an "appalling dog whistle campaign" and former Tory chancellor Ken Clarke said it was a "mistake". Ms Goldsmith tweeted: "Sad that Zac's campaign did not reflect who I know him to be - an eco friendly, independent-minded politician with integrity." Media captionZac Goldsmith says he is disappointed with the result, but paid tribute to Sadiq Khan She also congratulated Mr Khan, calling him a "great example to young Muslims". David Cameron's former director of strategy Steve Hilton described the Goldsmith campaign as "really weird," claiming it had brought back the "nasty party label to the Conservative party". Who is Sadiq Khan? Image copyright AP The new mayor did not have a privileged start in life. He was one of eight children born to Pakistani immigrants, a bus driver and a seamstress, on a south London housing estate. From an early age, he showed a firm resolve to defy the odds in order to win success for himself and the causes important to him.

That resolve has won him the biggest personal mandate in the UK, a job with wide-ranging powers over London and with enormous emotional significance for him. Some question whether he has the experience or record of good judgement necessary for the role. He insists he is there to represent all Londoners and to tackle inequality in the capital, and now he has the chance to prove it. The Sadiq Khan story Outgoing mayor Boris Johnson congratulated Mr Khan on "securing a huge mandate to do the best job in British politics" and wished him "every possible success". He also paid tribute to Mr Goldsmith for his "heroic efforts" in the campaign. Meanwhile, Mr Corbyn led congratulations on Twitter using the hashtag YesWeKhan and told the new mayor: "Can't wait to work with you to create a London that is fair for all." A Labour victory in the capital was seen as a minimum expectation if Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was to avoid a full-blown leadership crisis after the party suffered one of its worst ever results in Scotland - losing 13 seats and being pushed into third place by the resurgent Scottish Conservatives.

Media captionSNP leader Nicola Sturgeon has spoken of an "emphatic" victory for her party in the Scottish Parliament elections Mr Corbyn has talked up Labour's performance in Thursday's elections, saying the party had defied predictions by retaining control of councils in the south of England such as Southampton, Hastings, Crawley and Norwich. "We hung on and we grew support in a lot of places," he said. Allies of Mr Corbyn, including shadow chancellor John McDonnell and shadow environmental minister Clive Lewis, have called on critics within the party to rally round the leader. But others, including former shadow minister Michael Dugher, have said Labour was "not on a trajectory to victory" in the next general election, scheduled for 2020. Labour's vote share is down about 6% on average on 2012 - the last time these seats in England were contested - with 24 fewer councillors. But its share is up 4% on the general election in key wards, with the Conservatives down by a similar amount.

In other election developments: Shadow home secretary Andy Burnham considers running for newly created role of Greater Manchester mayor The Democratic Unionists and Sinn Fein were on course to retain their grip on power at Stormont as the Assembly election count neared its half-way point Ex-Labour MP Vera Baird is re-elected as police and crime commissioner for Northumbria, as the 40 results are declared On the basis of Friday's results, the BBC is calculating that Labour would have got a 31% projected share of the national vote, slightly higher than expected, with the Conservatives on 30%, the Lib Dems on 15% and UKIP on 12%. In Scotland, Labour gained one seat from the SNP - Edinburgh Southern - but failed to take other targets and was beaten into third place by the Conservatives - a result that would have been unthinkable in the past. Speaking in Edinburgh, Nicola Sturgeon said the SNP had a "clear and unequivocal" mandate and would govern on its own rather than in alliance with other parties.

Image caption UKIP's Neil Hamilton is returning to elected office for the first time in nearly 20 years On the question of a future vote on independence, she said the SNP would make "its case with passion, with patience but will always respect the opinion of the people". But Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson, who said any prospect of the issue being reopened in the next five years had been "utterly shredded" by the SNP's failure to win a majority. UKIP breakthrough In Wales, Labour's vote is down by eight points overall, the Conservative vote is down by three points, while Plaid Cymru is up by two points. Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood celebrated a famous victory after she took the seat of Rhondda from Labour in its south Wales heartlands. Lib Dem Welsh leader Kirsty Williams resigned after her party was reduced to one seat in the Welsh Assembly. But the biggest story of the night in Wales was the performance of UKIP, which saw its vote increase by 12 points and saw seven candidates elected. Thursday's polls were the single largest test of political opinion before the next general election, which is scheduled for 2020, with 43 million people entitled to take part.

In total, 2,747 seats in English councils - spanning metropolitan boroughs, unitary authorities and district councils - were up for grabs. David Cameron said the party's second place in Scotland and its showing in England, where it took control of Peterborough Council and won council seats in key Westminster marginals such as Dudley and Nuneaton, represented a good result for a party which had been in government for six years. What's still to come (all timings are estimates) Saturday 7 May 14:00 Results from five remaining councils in England 16:00 Result of Bristol Mayoral contest Result of elections to Northern Ireland Assembly expected Sunday 8 May 16:00 Result of elections to Bristol Council (final council in England to declare) Results of Police and Crime Commissioner elections in Wales The Tories resorted to poisonous scare politics. All credit to Londoners for refusing to play along | Hugh Muir | Opinion | The Guardian The Tories resorted to poisonous scare politics. All credit to Londoners for refusing to play along Zac Goldsmith’s mayoral attack on Sadiq Khan was ill-judged and desperate.

Conservatives now have four years to reflect and repent Sadiq Khan ‘always looked more credible’ than Zac Goldsmith. Photograph: Frank Augstein/AP Saturday 7 May 2016 01.00 EDT Last modified on Tuesday 19 July 2016 08.12 EDT Share on Messenger Close Amid the fetid air and noxious smoke of the London mayoral contest it has been easy to lose sight of what has been happening, but today is a day for clarity. Sadiq Khan, the son of a Pakistani bus driver , has been elected mayor of London. The first person from an ethnic minority to hold the post. A Muslim propelled to power by the capital when the status and legitimacy of British Muslims is being questioned as never before. Sometimes London , with its noise, crammed streets and packed trains, invokes madness, but at times like this, one can love it to distraction. Local elections 2016: our writers on the night’s winners and losers | The panel Read more For this could have been very different. Khan , who always looked the more credible of the main candidates, began his campaign early.

It was a very different kind of mayoral campaign from those we had seen before, because neither of the two main candidates could boast the star power of a Boris Johnson or a Ken Livingstone. The Labour candidate focused early on homes and rents and jobs and the overheated costs of transport, and that, allied to his energetic criss-crossing of the capital, saw him build up a solid lead in the polls. Zac Goldsmith , his languid Tory rival, could not make an impact sufficient to change the course of events. His policy prospectus did little to excite, still less his demeanour. Those who observed him at close quarters wondered why he took the job. He seemed awkward, distracted and when required to meet real people, he appeared to die a thousand deaths. And so, with defeat the most likely impending prospect, Goldsmith – presumably at the behest of his appointed handlers, deployed to his side by the controversial Conservative strategist Lynton Crosby – went rogue . The decision to focus the final phase of his campaign on the theme of Khan as a security risk and a terrorist sympathiser was disreputable, and deployed to defend it, Goldsmith seemed to realise that more than most . But it was an act of desperation.

Sadiq Khan: London’s new mayor - video profile It was, as we have seen from Crosby before in London elections, the doughnut strategy. It was never likely to move the dial in inner London, even with the enthusiastic support of the Evening Standard, which took up the Khan as terrorist sympathiser line with enthusiasm. But it might have bolstered Conservative support in the less ethnically diverse suburbs. It was that cynical: a headlong plunge by the Conservatives into scare politics and the very sort of divisive, racially based politics the party would claim it abhors. The Tory inquest into this election has begun with fierce criticisms from the London assembly member Andrew Boff, the party’s London assembly leader, and Roger Evans, a former deputy mayor, and as that reckoning progresses, senior figures will have to explain how a party that espouses cohesion deliberately sought to set white people against minorities and Sikhs and Hindus against a Muslim standing for public office. It will have to rationalise why, in pursuit of a mayoral seat and to stave off municipal humiliation, a great political party – the “one-nation” party – jettisoned its moral compass.

The great thing about today is not just that the job has been claimed by the candidate who seemed best equipped and best motivated to do it, but that Londoners in sufficient number refused to be swayed by a weak, undeserving candidate, an absurdly partisan press and a strategically corrosive campaign. There is a message for Khan in all this. Londoners have endorsed him despite all the provocations that might have led them to do otherwise. The mayoralty is a pedestal from which a good and active mayor can view all that needs strategic attention. It is also a bully pulpit . People don’t want another four years of the indolent leadership provided by Boris Johnson . They will look to the mayor they have chosen. Khan must deliver for them. But the greater message should go to the Tories. Their campaign exceeded the parameters. It was unacceptable and, ultimately, it was unsuccessful. Goldsmith began the campaign with the reputation of a principled political iconoclast. He ends it as the hustler for whom principles appear optional. The Tories began their campaign as a party seeking to modernise in the face of ethnic and demographic realities. They end it as a party apparently willing to slit its own throat for temporary advantage.

They have at least four years – the span of a Khan mayoralty – to reflect and perhaps repent. Elections: Labour's Sadiq Khan promises a 'better' London - BBC News BBC News Elections: Labour's Sadiq Khan promises a 'better' London 7 May 2016 Close share panel Media caption"My name is Sadiq Khan and I'm the mayor of London" - London mayor inauguration Labour's Sadiq Khan has vowed to do all in his power to make London "better", as he was sworn in as the new mayor. Referring to his council estate roots, Mr Khan, the city's first Muslim mayor, said he wanted all Londoners to have the same opportunities he has had. It comes as Defence Secretary Michael Fallon defended Conservative Zac Goldsmith's campaign, describing it as the "rough and tumble" of politics. The much-criticised campaign questioned Mr Khan's alleged links to extremists. Mr Khan beat Mr Goldsmith, by 1,310,143 votes to 994,614, giving him a larger personal mandate than either of his predecessors, Boris Johnson and Ken Livingstone.

He has announced he will step down as MP for Tooting, meaning a by-election will be held to elect a new representative in Parliament. PCC to investigate Hillsborough 'spin' The former Labour minister's victory in London ends eight years of Conservative control of City Hall. It has also given a boost to Labour after its poor performance in Scotland's election which saw it slump to third place behind the Conservatives. Following on from its London success, Labour has also won Bristol's mayoral contest, with candidate Marvin Rees beating the incumbent, independent George Ferguson, by a comfortable margin. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn welcomed Mr Rees' victory, saying in a tweet: "Another Labour mayor who will stand up for their city!" But Mr Corbyn was absent from Mr Khan's swearing-in ceremony earlier on Saturday.

Mr Khan - who nominated but did not vote for Mr Corbyn in the Labour leadership contest - said he was "not sure" why, adding: "We'll have to find out what he was doing." Media captionMichael Fallon is repeatedly asked if he trusts Sadiq Khan with the safety of Londoners Corbyn's absence Image copyright EPA By BBC political correspondent Alex Forsyth There is no specific form on these type of things, but this mayoral election was Labour's biggest success in these recent elections, so it is pretty unusual that Corbyn was not at Mr Khan's signing-in ceremony. And by contrast we are expecting Mr Corbyn to attend an event to celebrate the election of the Labour candidate, who has just won the role of Bristol mayor. Read into that what you will, but I think it raises questions about how Sadiq Khan and Jeremy Corbyn will work together. Meanwhile, Nicola Sturgeon introduced the SNP's new batch of MSPs as the party celebrated its third successive victory in the Holyrood election - though the result left the SNP two seats short of a majority in the parliament. In other election news, the Northern Ireland election count has come to an end , and the Democratic Unionists remain the biggest party in assembly, with Arlene Foster continuing as first minister.

'Burning ambition' As he swore in as London mayor in a ceremony in Southwark Cathedral, Mr Khan, the son of Pakistani immigrants, said: "I'm only here today because of the opportunities and helping hand that our city gave to me and my family. "My burning ambition for our city, that will guide my mayoralty, is to ensure that all Londoners get the opportunities that my city gave to me." Image copyright AFP/Getty Images Image caption Sadiq Khan sits next to his wife Saadiya at his swearing-in ceremony Image copyright AFP/Getty Images Image caption Former Labour leader Ed Miliband and Met Police Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe were among the attendees Image copyright PA Image caption The new London mayor was introduced by the Dean of Southwark Cathedral, The Very Reverend Andrew Nunn "I promise you I will always do everything in my power to make our city better. I will be a mayor for all Londoners," he added. He also pledged to lead "the most transparent, engaged and accessible administration London has ever seen". 'Rough and tumble' Speaking later, Mr Khan said he was disappointed by the "negative and divisive" nature of Mr Goldsmith's mayoral campaign, which focused on Mr Khan's alleged links to Islamic extremists.

But his victory, he said, was a rejection of the politics of "fear". Several senior Conservatives - including former cabinet ministers Ken Clarke and Baroness Warsi - have, like Labour, voiced criticism of the way the contest was fought, while Mr Goldsmith's sister Jemima said it "did not reflect who I know him to be". Media captionSadiq Khan 'deeply humbled' by London Mayor win But Defence Secretary Michael Fallon - who called Mr Khan a "Labour lackey who speaks alongside extremists" during the race - defended the Conservatives' approach, saying it was legitimate to put a candidate under scrutiny. "Both candidates were asked questions about their backgrounds, their personalities, their judgements, the people they associate with. That's the nature of our democracy and the rough and tumble of politics," he said on BBC Radio 4's Today. Repeatedly challenged over whether he believed Mr Khan was a security risk to London, Mr Fallon said: "London is safe with a Conservative government working with the new mayor of London." Who is Sadiq Khan? Image copyright AFP/Getty Images The new mayor did not have a privileged start in life.

He was one of eight children born to Pakistani immigrants, a bus driver and a seamstress, on a south London housing estate. From an early age, he showed a firm resolve to defy the odds in order to win success for himself and the causes important to him. That resolve has won him the biggest personal mandate in the UK, a job with wide-ranging powers over London and with enormous emotional significance for him. Some question whether he has the experience or record of good judgement necessary for the role. He insists he is there to represent all Londoners and to tackle inequality in the capital, and now he has the chance to prove it. The Sadiq Khan story Labour's Tottenham MP David Lammy said Mr Khan had risen above what he described as "smears". "If we ever get a prime minister of colour it will be because of what Sadiq Khan has achieved," he told Today. 'New powerbase' Meanwhile, John McTernan, Tony Blair's former strategist, told the BBC Mr Khan's election showed Labour can "win a victory" and was a good result for Mr Corbyn in the "short term".

But he said the campaign run by Mr Khan - who distanced himself from the Labour leader during the contest - was "totally independent" of Mr Corbyn and the politics he articulated. "This creates a new powerbase in the Labour party," he said. iFrame Tap here to search for election results in your area. In total, 2,747 seats in English councils - spanning metropolitan boroughs, unitary authorities and district councils - were up for grabs in Thursday's elections, in the single largest test of political opinion before the next general election, scheduled for 2020. Labour's vote share is down about 6% on average on 2012 - the last time the seats in England were contested - with 24 fewer councillors. But its share is up 4% on the general election in key wards, with the Conservatives down by a similar amount. In Wales, Labour's vote is down by eight points overall, the Conservative vote is down by three points, and Plaid Cymru is up by two points. UKIP increased its vote by 12 points and saw seven candidates elected.

David Cameron said the party's second place in Scotland and its showing in England, where it took control of Peterborough Council and won council seats in key Westminster marginals such as Dudley and Nuneaton, represented a good result for a party which had been in government for six years. Talking up Labour's performance, Mr Corbyn said it had done better than expected by retaining several councils in southern England, adding: "We hung on and we grew support in a lot of places."

Question: Who have the Conservatives chosen as their candidate to run for the 2016 London Mayor elections
Answer: Zac Goldsmith